DukeEngage | Duke Center for Civic Engagement

It’s been exactly one week since our arrival in Seattle.

While I didn’t know what to expect, I can say it’s been a good experience thus far.

I’ll be honest. When I signed up for the Seattle program, I did so expecting it to be “less exciting” then some of the other programs being offered at international locations. Latin America: ooh. Africa: aah. Seattle: well, it’s Seattle. I felt somewhat guilty knowing that I’d be sitting comfortably in an office chair in some posh downtown office, while other DukeEngagers were visiting and living in rural villages in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

To some extent, that is the truth. I sit on a height-adjustable office chair, and have the luxury of air conditioning, fast internet, and meals at gourmet restaurants. Yet, I’ve come to realize that I don’t feel entirely “useless”, if that’s the correct way to put it. In fact, I feel just as engaged and am proud of my contributions. The non-profit organization that I work for is Grameen Foundation, and their overarching mission is to enable the poor in developing countries to create a world without poverty through the model of microfinance. Specifically, I work in the Technology Center division, where we attempt to achieve these goals through the dissemination of information and communication technologies (ICT), such as mobile telephones and internet, in rural parts of Africa, Asia, and Latina America. I’ve omitted some major details, but if it sounds interesting, check out http://www.grameenfoundation.org/what_we_do/technology_programs/.

The people I work with are very passionate about the work they do. It’s all very fast-paced, and there is little micro-management: I’m given a bundle of assignments, and then left alone to do my own thing. While my coworkers actually travel frequently to these locations, as an intern I do not leave the confines of the office. Yet, as I sit at my desk space overlooking the Space Needle in Seattle, I know that my work is still helping the lives of thousands of people in rural villages halfway across the world. The lack of direct human contact doesn’t take away from the good intentions and positive contributions that people can make from home. Well, sometimes you hear of bad organizations that are only in it for themselves, but this isn’t one of them. I’ve been in contact with people in Rwanda, Ghana, Papua New Guinea, and elsewhere in the world. I’m giving my best effort in all that I do, and that gives me a sense of satisfaction. Whether at home or abroad, this is a once in a lifetime experience!

The DukeEngage Seattle program is made up of eight students working at various non-profits across the city. We've been here for a little over two days now and work starts tomorrow.
Our first days here in Seattle have been filled with heaps of walking throughout the city; to the tourist spots and the less glamorous corners too. Yesterday we went with our advisor, Peter, to scout our workplaces and hopefully make for a smooth Monday morning. Then we took a long ferry ride for reasons unknown. Fact of the day, draft beer, wine, hot soup, and various fried foods are available on Seattle Ferries, who knew?
Today we set out on our own, first heading to Pikes Place to see the flying fish before heading to the Fremont Fair to rub elbows with Seattle's granola-loving masses.

Yesterday, while several of us were relishing our first experience with Seattle's coffee. I looked at the tattooed and holed face of a girl sitting at a nearby table. I realized that I have perhaps never been more non-conformist, and that non-conformity has never looked so plain. The streets of Seattle are rife with inked people clad in artsy t-shirts and tight jeans, topped with nuevo mullets and wayfarers, embellished with organic kefir every shade of bubble tea. The culture shock of Seattle has been that my look, Duke t-shirts and JC Penny shorts, is the outlier. How funny. Hopefully I can draw on those DukeEngage seminars and figure out how to communicate with these strange people. I wonder what they think of me?
My obnoxiousness aside, the people here have been wonderful. I have been pleasantly surprised that the bus drivers here are polite and helpful, novel. Also, while touring the fair today, I spoke with the vegans, radicals, etc. manning assorted booths and tables. There was a polite, reasonable, calm possessed by the various advocates; not the militant spite, snobbery, and disgust I had expected.

I guess I should mention my internship…I will be working at Hate Free Zone, a group that works to bring the civic engagement to immigrants and vice versa. I don't know what my day-to-day will look like, but from what I can tell the organization is made of talented and focused people who know how to engage the immigrant population of Seattle.

So far no rain, jinx.

I've spent the week leading up to the students' arrival checking the 5 day weather forecast, hoping that the unfriendly rain cloud hovering over Friday and Saturday would disappear, and guess what? It did- Today! Yes, those weather forecasters understand that preparing yourself for disappointment and then being pleasantly surprised is much better than the other way around. It seems summer may have finally arrived in the Emerald City, just in time for DukeEngage.